By Hannah Barricks
For decades, the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame has told the stories of women whose tenacity, independence and quiet resolve helped shape the American West. Now, as the Fort Worth institution undertakes a major expansion, the museum is preparing to tell those stories more fully — and more boldly — than ever.
The expansion, currently underway at the museum’s Cultural District campus, is designed not simply to add square footage but to deepen the overall narrative. According to Julie Bryant, associate executive director of marketing and communications, the need for growth came from success.
“We just ran out of room to tell the story,” Bryant says.
Since opening the Fort Worth location in 2002, the museum has steadily expanded its scope, moving beyond traditional images of ranching and rodeo to explore the broader “cowgirl ethos” — a term Bryant uses to describe their world, spanning multiple industries and eras.
That ethos transcends geography and profession.
“We’re not only telling stories of ranchers and horsewomen,” Bryant says. “We’re also telling the stories of women in art, law, the military and leadership — women whose cowgirl background or spirit pushed them forward.”
A notable aspect of the expansion is its integration of art into architecture. The exterior façade features a series of embossed quarter horses — 70 in total — that wrap the building in a kinetic visual narrative. Those horses are the work of Reza Azard, a French designer and artist whose multidisciplinary background blends space, form and motion. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-La Villette and co-founder of the award-winning studio Projectiles, Azard has also pursued improvised music and architectural teaching, bringing a conceptual depth to built work that goes beyond decoration.
The quarter-horse panels, created under Azard’s guidance, were designed to respond to light and movement, creating a sense of flow that echoes the broader mission of the expansion. The decision to collaborate with an internationally recognized artist underscores the museum’s mission to merge heritage with contemporary cultural expression.
Photo courtesy of National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame
Bryant said the continuous curves of the new structure, inspired in part by the motion of the lasso and the spirit of Western movement, reflect the ongoing story of cowgirls themselves.
“There are no sharp edges to what we do,” she says. “It’s about flow — of history, of culture, of who we are as women.”
For Trey B. Silva of the Linbeck Group, the project’s general contractor, translating artistic vision into reality without losing meaning was paramount.
“This is a very unique structure,” Silva says. “There are a lot of requirements when you’re building a museum — from preservation standards to design integrity — and this project brings all of that together.”
Linbeck also built the original Cowgirl Museum facility, creating a full-circle moment for the Fort Worth–based firm. Silva said the expansion reflects a long-term partnership rooted in trust and shared purpose.
“It’s collaborative,” he says. “Everyone involved understands that this isn’t just a building — it’s a story.”
Inside, the expansion opens new possibilities for exhibitions and programming, bringing long-stored artifacts, personal letters and archival materials out of storage and into view. Galleries are being reconfigured to allow more flexible storytelling, while new space is being dedicated to education and community use.
For Paola Pimienta, the museum’s engagement specialist, making that history visible is deeply important.
“It’s never a bad thing to need more space to represent women,” Pimienta says.
Beyond exhibitions, the expansion reimagines how visitors move through the museum — both physically and emotionally. Multi-use spaces will host educational programs, Hall of Fame induction events, weddings, and community gatherings, reinforcing the museum’s role as both a cultural anchor and a living part of Fort Worth life.
“People are finding that our space helps them tell their own stories,” Bryant says. “It’s not just a meeting room — it has meaning.”
The project is scheduled for completion in time for the museum’s 50th Hall of Fame induction events this fall, a milestone that underscores the institution’s longevity and evolving mission.
As the Cowgirl Museum grows, its purpose remains unchanged: to celebrate women whose strength shaped the West — and whose stories continue to shape the world.